I Love Valentine's Day!: Latter Days

Another film to celebrate Valentine's Day! In L.A., a young actor/waiter Christian (Wes Ramsey) meets a group of hot young Mormons at his apartment complex. His work friends bet whether or not he can bed one of them, Aaron (Steve Sandvoss). Co-stars include Jacqueline Bisset as the restaurant boss, Mary Kay Place as Aaron's mother, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as one of the Mormons.

Coincidentally, Aaron bumps into the restaurant boss when she is going through a health crisis and offers her some counseling, but admits he is just spouting rhetoric he has memorized. Both sides of the romantic relationship give a little in their viewpoints but as in most rom coms, Christian makes a grand gesture and Aaron capitulates at the right time. Later they both have to deal with consequences from Aaron's family and community.


The film of course follows romantic dramedy conventions, giving stereotypical portrayals of some characters and contriving plot points to get Aaron and Christian together (including a "layover in Salt Lake"--groan). Both lead actors are okay, with Sandvoss doing the better job, I guess because his character goes through more of a moral battle and transformation. Some touches, like naming the character Christian and Aaron admitting he is spouting rhetoric when giving health advice, play up the religious differences and concepts of the two main characters. But despite the seriousness of the content and some good acting, it doesn't rise much beyond a film full of naked bodies and portrayals of religious bigotries, with some of the religious right turning too quickly toward the other side.